White County Associate Judge Thomas J. Dinn III has denied a request from Aydreian D. Hooper, a Fairfield resident, to reduce her prison sentence for the tragic 2024 hot car death of her young son. The ruling came during a hearing held Tuesday in Wayne County Circuit Court.
Hooper, 38, is serving a 10-year sentence after pleading guilty in December 2024 to a Class 3 felony charge of child endangerment causing death. In exchange for her guilty plea, prosecutors dropped charges of involuntary manslaughter of a family member, reckless conduct causing bodily harm, and a second count of child endangerment.
The case centers on an incident from July 14, 2024, when Hooper left her 17-month-old son, Aaruan Hooper, and her two-year-old son, Gage Hooper Gonzalez, unattended in her 2001 Chevy Suburban for several hours. The vehicle was parked at her Illinois Avenue home during a severe heat wave, with temperatures climbing above 90 degrees and a heat advisory in effect. Authorities say Hooper waited several hours after finding the children unresponsive before calling for help. Aaruan died as a result, and his older brother sustained permanent brain injuries.
In his written order, Judge Dinn stated, “After consideration of exhibits and arguments, [the court] finds no reason to disturb its original sentence and the motion to reconsider is denied.”
Hooper is currently incarcerated at Logan Woman’s Prison in Lincoln, Illinois. According to prison records, she will be eligible for parole on July 6, 2029, and will remain under parole supervision until July 6, 2030. The cost to house Hooper at Logan Prison is reported to be $69,238 per year.